If you want to talk about lost films, here you go.
In case you're wondering, a lost film is a feature or short film that is no longer known to exist in any studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress.
Still nothing? Well, the law means that at least one copy of every American film is required to be deposited and catalogued at the Library of Congress for copyright reasons. Although U.S. copyright law required copies to be deposited at the time of copyright registration, the Librarian of Congress was not required to retain those copies. "Under the provisions of the act of March 4, 1909, authority is granted for the return to the claimant of copyright of such copyright deposits as are not required by the Library." Of American silent films far more have been lost than have survived, and of American sound films made from 1927 to 1950, perhaps half have been lost. The phrase "lost film" can also be used in a literal sense for instances where footage of deleted scenes, unedited and alternative versions of feature films are known to have been created but can no longer be accounted for. Sometimes a copy of a lost film is rediscovered. A film that has not been recovered in its entirety is called a partially lost film. For example, the 1922 film Sherlock Holmes was eventually discovered but some of the footage is still missing.
In case you're wondering, a lost film is a feature or short film that is no longer known to exist in any studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress.
Still nothing? Well, the law means that at least one copy of every American film is required to be deposited and catalogued at the Library of Congress for copyright reasons. Although U.S. copyright law required copies to be deposited at the time of copyright registration, the Librarian of Congress was not required to retain those copies. "Under the provisions of the act of March 4, 1909, authority is granted for the return to the claimant of copyright of such copyright deposits as are not required by the Library." Of American silent films far more have been lost than have survived, and of American sound films made from 1927 to 1950, perhaps half have been lost. The phrase "lost film" can also be used in a literal sense for instances where footage of deleted scenes, unedited and alternative versions of feature films are known to have been created but can no longer be accounted for. Sometimes a copy of a lost film is rediscovered. A film that has not been recovered in its entirety is called a partially lost film. For example, the 1922 film Sherlock Holmes was eventually discovered but some of the footage is still missing.
